I didn't say it last week as I was riding high on the wave of surreal survival euphoria, but something has gone straight into the top of my "embarrassing things about being a Palace fan" list.

Earlier in the season, a couple of cretins threw detritus at Wayne Rooney while he took a corner.

That idiotic act would not make my countdown - it made me annoyed, ashamed and angry, but it didn't make my skin crawl.

I'm talking about the "We're proud of you, we're proud of you, we're proud” chant. I thought it was a one-off against West Ham, a spontaneous and patronising mistake, to the tune of the already annoying "come on Palace, come on" song.

Hearing "we're proud of you" again against Manchester City puts it right into my list of embarrassments, and I refuse to let it slide just because I sound like a grumpy cynic.

What else makes the embarrassing top 10? Well there's the #cpfcfamily hashtag, not to mention half and half scarves celebrating totally ordinary league games.

Despite all this negativity, one thing I'm not moaning about, not embarrassed by and not ashamed of, is Sunday's game.

Spurred on by Liverpool's huge slip up (pun intended), Manchester City looked good. There's no hard feelings or pointless grievances; they were simply better.

It was a more motivated side really playing like a team going for the title, verses a team with safety secured.

Not only safe but exhausted too. People like Mile Jedinak, Joel Ward and Damien Delaney might not have played every single minute this season but not far off. And they've given absolutely everything.

To expect that same level now is absurd, no matter how much the romantics among us want them to play for the badge or the shirt or whatever.

Another problem was starting the game quite well. It lulled us into a false sense of security. Well maybe not security, but a false sense of opportunity.

Coming back: Glenn Murray in action against Manchester City

A couple of early attacks towards the Holmesdale encouraged the sense that we could really do well here.

Plus throughout the game our passing wasn't terrible, the ball was switched well, Jedinak and Joe Ledley worked hard, Scott Dann and Delaney were largely solid and imposing while Marouane Chamakh gracefully slalomed through City's midfield on several occasions.

Then eventually players like Yaya Toure, Edin Dzeko and Samir Nasri showed effortless ability and the score line was a pretty fair reflection of the 90 minutes.

It wouldn't surprise me to watch the Eagles lose twice more before the end of the season, against teams with infinitely more up for grabs.

The introduction of Dwight Gayle and Thomas Ince was precisely the sort of experimentation we should be trying now.

I'm not saying go hell for leather and get thumped 6-0 by Liverpool, but let these younger talents get more than 15 minute cameos.

This will also give Cameron Jerome a rest – and some extra time to work on his shooting.

I know I'll hear "we're proud of you" again before the summer. If not Liverpool at Selhurst then at Fulham away on the final day.

The problem is, I don't disagree with the sentiment. I am incredibly proud of the team and their historic achievement.

But I wish we could express it with words and a tune that weren't as cheesy and condescending.

Comments (1)

Tom ince came to palace thinking he would be the big fish and sell himself this season, how wrong was he, not played much due to better players and to be honest after the attitude i see on him after the villa game... (dressed and outside the front once i left the stadium immediately after the game, only 10 minutes earlier he was in front of me warming up) good riddance maybe a good championship club will have him..

Tom ince came to palace thinking he would be the big fish and sell himself this season, how wrong was he, not played much due to better players and to be honest after the attitude i see on him after the villa game... (dressed and outside the front once i left the stadium immediately after the game, only 10 minutes earlier he was in front of me warming up) good riddance maybe a good championship club will have him..Dani78